There are many things that go into achieving your fitness goals, such as nutrition, enough sleep, hydration and intensity of your fitness routine.
It should also be noted that no matter how dialled in and amazing that your program is, you need to find consistency every week to achieve optimal results. When you are starting out a fitness routine that is either new to you or if you are just starting out after not having been active for a while, the intensity level is key. For beginners the intensity level should start out as moderate so as to keep you encouraged and realistic about sticking with the routine. Once you have found consistency over a 2-3 month period then you can start pushing the envelope more often, which will get you better results for muscular gains and/or cardiovascular improvement this is all dependent on your program’s goals of course).
To keep that intensity up there and to not fall into the trap of low motivation or interest in your program, it is essential to always be setting monthly goals. This helps you stay focused on the short term which in turn takes care of the bigger long term goals.
Here are some tips to use for gauging your workout intensity:
💪 Use a heart rate monitor or smart watch to track your heart rate and calories burned during exercise.
💪 Gauge your perceived exertion based on your previous workout and knowing your limits.
💪 If you can sing a song you need to increase the intensity.
💪 Workout with a friend that is better than you so you can try to keep up and gauge where your fitness level is at.
